The Black Parade
by BandGeek99
Summary: Series of one-shots to MCR's album "The Black Parade". Ch. 1: The End. Alphonse Elric thinks about his brother. The end isn't here yet. Rated T for language and for some possible later sexual themes.


**The Black Parade – by BandGeek99**

**Part 1: The End.**

Alphonse Elric didn't believe it was the end.

It couldn't be. Not after all that had happened. He wasn't a suit of armor anymore, true, but Edward had always said that he refused to die. It would take more than a homunculus, he claimed, to take his life. He was too stubborn drop dead, Winry had said tearfully.

And yet… Here Alphonse stood, in front of the memorial stone in the cemetery in Risembool. No body had been found and so they were unable to bury anything, but the funeral had been scheduled none-the-less.

Hundreds of people showed up to see off the train that Alphonse was on when he returned to Risembool, wishing to pay Fullmetal their respects. Since Fullmetal was no longer with them, neither in body nor mind, they decided to let his brother know what they were feeling.

Schools let out early the day that the Fullmetal Alchemist was declared dead. Businesses closed. People dressed in black for the next few weeks, even the strongest of military men cried their eyes out.

_Now come one, come all to this tragic affair  
Wipe off that makeup, what's in is despair  
So throw on the black dress, mix in with the lot  
You might wake up and notice you're someone you're not  
_

Edward, had he been there, would have laughed at all of the hubbub over his death. Alphonse was sure of this.

"Hey, just cuz I'm dead, doesn't mean you can't celebrate. The world is rid of the biggest sinner in all of history. Cheer up!"

He could hear his brother saying it. He wasn't sure how, or why, but he knew this is what his brother would have said.

And as Alphonse stood in front of the tombstone, he realized that he hated himself. It was his fault. If he hadn't said yes to bringing his mother back to life, Edward would never have had to bond him to a suit of armor, would never have had to search for the Philosopher's Stone, would never have had to disappear off the face of the Earth. He hated what he had become.

_This must have been how Brother thought of it, too_, Alphonse mused, fiddling with his fingers.

_  
If you look in the mirror and don't like what you see  
You can find out firsthand what it's like to be me  
So gather 'round piggies and kiss this goodbye  
I'd encourage your smiles, I'll expect you won't cry  
_

So many had died, Alphonse realized. Not just his brother. His brother was just another bruise on his heart.

There was his mother, of course, whose funeral had been one of the hardest to bear. After his mother, there was the Brigadier General Maes Hughes, whom Alphonse had scattered memories of. Scar, who saved his life. So many more people, some he remembered, and some he didn't.

He somehow thought that his brother felt responsible for their deaths, in a way. And so maybe he felt that dying was a just atonement. _No wonder he never made any lasting plans about anything…_ Alphonse realized. He always expected to die.

_  
Another contusion, my funeral jag  
Here's my resignation, I'll serve it in drag  
You've got front row seats to the penitence ball  
When I grow up I want to be nothing at all!_

_I said yeah, yeah!  
I said yeah, yeah!  
_

If Alphonse could remember anything clearly about what had happened just before he awoke as a suit of armor, it was this; Edward clearly knew that his brother was too young to die. He would do anything to save Alphonse from the hell he was living.

And so he gave himself to the Truth, to the Gate, for the sake of his younger brother.

_  
C'mon C'mon C'mon I said  
(Save me!) Get me the hell out of here  
(Save me!) Too young to die and my dear  
(You can't!) If you can hear me just walk away and  
(Take me!)_

Al ran a finger over the letters engraved into the tombstone.

_Colonel Edward Elric _

_b. February 7__th__, 1899, d. May 24__th__ 1915_

_Fullmetal Alchemist, Leader of the People._

"Thanks, Brother," he murmured quietly, smiling gently. "I'll take care of Winry for you." Somehow, deep down, he didn't believe his brother was really dead. "Until you get back."

He was the only one left at the funeral; the others had gone home long ago. The Amestrian Military had even come all the way out to perform the service, but by this time they were all at the local pub, drinking in the memory of the sixteen-year-old Colonel.

Al pulled his hand back from the marble and stuck both his hands into his pockets, smiling despite the circumstances. He would just have to go back to the Rockbells' for now, then go train some more with his Teacher. He didn't have much else of a choice if he was going to retrieve his older brother. _It figures… He was always looking after me. Now I get to look after him._

"Love you, Brother. I'll see you when you come home."

And with that, the thin blond boy, only living blood relative of the infamous Fullmetal Alchemist Edward Elric, turned away from his brother's grave, a smile on his face, dreaming of tomorrow.

It wasn't really the end.

* * *

**Sorry to disappoint, guys, but this will probably be my last update for a while. My grades are slipping (ulp!) and I need to pull those up if I want to go to Europe next year with band/chorus.**

**This story will be a collection of one-shots based on songs from the My Chemical Romance album "The Black Parade" in the order that they are on the CD.**

**I'm not sure if anyone has ever done anything like this before… If they haven't, then good. Because I enjoy being unique. And if they have, oh, well. I'll just have to do my best anyways. :D**

**So. In the grand tradition of FMA nerds everywhere… PINKIE SALUTE!! And goodnight.**


End file.
